Palácio Itamaraty

What makes it special

The arches along the facade gave the palace its first name, Palácio dos Arcos; it later took the name Itamaraty from the ministry's old seat in Rio de Janeiro. The reflecting pool in front of the palace holds Meteoro, a sculpture of five blocks of Carrara marble.

The five blocks symbolise dialogue between the continents. Roberto Burle Marx designed the landscaping, both around the palace and inside it.

In the lobby, a spiral staircase winds up to the first floor. Cardozo, the structural engineer on the building, developed it with the architect Milton Ramos.

Look also for the lattice screen of wood and metal that marks off the Sala dos Tratados, the Hall of Treaties.

Visiting

The online booking calendar opens 60 days ahead, so book as soon as your Brasília dates are fixed. Choose a date and one of four languages: Portuguese, Spanish, French or English.

On the day, come to the palace 15 minutes before your slot, since check-in comes first. The group then sets off together, and the route takes in the lobby and the rooms upstairs.

Keep the day flexible if you can. A visit can be cancelled, or its route changed, when official commitments or security require it.

Guided or on your own

Every visit inside the palace is guided, and there is no way to go round alone. Two routes are bookable: the traditional one, and a special route called "O Palácio Itamaraty como você nunca viu", the palace as you have never seen it. Both are led in the language you chose when booking.

Tips

The spiral staircase in the lobby has no handrail, so walk up the carpet that runs down the middle of the steps.

Visits with simultaneous interpretation in Libras, Brazilian Sign Language, run on specific dates. If you need one, book one of those dates rather than a regular slot.